Travel: Postcard from Plymouth, UK

I first visited Plymouth six years ago. It reached the fourth dimension of Mayflower’s voyage from this historic British port city to the New World.

There was a lot of excitement back then. Not only here, but all other places with some kind of connection to the pilgrims who later became Massachusetts and the New England region of the United States. The coronavirus pandemic then struck, effectively cancelling many of the planned commemorations.

As we learned during our visit this summer, the real draw at Plymouth is maritime history for centuries. It goes far beyond Mayflower, and on September 16th it was a historic fluke that sailed from here 424 years ago. The pilgrims were out in the sea for hundreds of miles when the second ship experienced problems and forced them to dock at Plymouth. The modern equivalent is a passenger plane making emergency landings.

My guide, Hanna Pulley, a highly recommended Plymouth Walking Tour, emphasized that by the time of the Pilgrims in 1620, the New World was almost nothing new. In 1497, literally the newly discovered Land) and Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth on his grand voyage almost a century later. Even Jamestown, Virginia, settled 13 years ago as a pilgrim.

For anyone interested in all the stories of the Pilgrims, a visit to the Mayflower Museum is a must. The museum is surrounded by the Barbican and Sutton Harbor. Here, the narrow cobblestone streets and one-off warehouses (many converted into pubs and restaurants) of Plymouth’s old town will certainly be familiar to the 102 souls embarking on a voyage to America. .

Later chapters in maritime history, including how important this port is during the era of Britain’s wave control, can be found in boxes.

There is Buckland Abbey, Drake’s one-off home, about 10 miles from the city. It was a Cistercian monastery in the late 13th century, after the disbandment of King Henry VIII’s monastery during British reforms, it turned into a country home. Drake’s descendants, who landed in California as part of the world’s periphery between 1577 and 1580 and held the first Anglican service in the New World, remained the homeowner until 1946. . Today, Buckland is carefully preserved and contains features, artifacts, art and exhibitions.

Back in Plymouth, one of the most visible reminders of all things maritime is Royal William Yard. Facing the sound of Plymouth, this former Royal Navy depot was definitely the place where the ships that built and maintained an empire were armed, equipped and supplied. Recently, the 16-acre complex of 19th-century buildings designed by highly acclaimed engineer John Lenny has been established, including the famous restaurant Bistrot Pierre and Hook & Line, including homes, offices, shops and dining. It was redeveloped in the location.

If you’re going

Unless you want to waste a lot of time on buses or trains, you’ll need a car rental to get here. London’s Heathrow Airport is 200 miles away. The drive takes just under 4 hours.

The visit to Plymouth is also part of a road trip to other parts of England with connections with Mayflower and pilgrims. I did a road trip like this in 2018 and stayed in Harwich, Lincoln and Worcester.

One of Plymouth’s newest hotels, flagged under the Marriott chain, Moxie is within walking distance of major attractions, including Royal William Yard. Alternatively, consider spending 1-2 nights at the cottage on the Buckland Abbey grounds.

Dennis Lennox is a travel column for Christian Post.